CHAPTER 33: SCORCHED EARTH

With this new system in my possession, there’s no reason to wait. Now, I'm going to charge through these villages with the scorched earth method. If I’m destined to be a villain, then so be it. I'll embrace it fully, revel in it.

If I'm to wander the lonely road of a villain, then this shadow shall aid me.

[Activating Shadow Servant]

From the ground before me, a pool of darkness oozes forth, tendrils writhing and coiling like a living beast. Slowly, from within, a humanoid figure emerges. The darkness pulses around it, flowing in dark waves and flickering flames that crackle with an eerie whisper. It stands before me, its face an abyssal void, a mashpit of swirling shadows, utterly featureless yet unsettlingly aware. It hunches slightly, its elongated arms hanging at its sides, twitching with a primal hunger.

With a mere thought, the being obeys, a perfect soldier born of the abyss. If I could make it stronger... the possibilities would be endless.

Leaving behind the smoldering ruins of the last village, I set my sights on the next one. This settlement is larger, nestled between rolling hills and sparse woods, about half a day's travel from the previous one. With my speed, we arrive far quicker, the crunch of gravel beneath my boots heralding their doom.

The villagers were no stronger than the last, a collection of weaklings huddled together in a fragile illusion of safety. The shadow servant wasn’t powerful, not yet, but its raw brutality more than compensated for its lack of finesse.

[Shadow Servant (C-Grade)]

[Proficiency: 0%]

[Skills: Emotionless (Unique)]

[Stats: Str-15, Agi-16, End-13, Int-8, Mag-4, Luck-11]

It was akin to an average adult male in strength, yet its savagery was unmatched.

The slaughter began at dawn.

I moved through the village with calculated precision, each step measured, each strike efficient. The shadow servant tore through the screaming farmers with raw, unrefined brutality, its crude, primitive attacks lacking finesse but overflowing with ruthless efficiency. Bones snapped like dry twigs beneath its relentless grasp, limbs wrenched from sockets with disturbing ease. Heads cracked against cobblestones, leaving behind grotesque stains of crimson. Women and children fled in vain, their cries a futile plea against the inevitable. The acrid stench of burning flesh soon filled the air as I set their homes ablaze, the fire consuming everything in its path, dancing wildly in the morning breeze.

As the carnage unfolded, I couldn't help but notice a pattern. The more merciless and monstrous my actions became, the faster the points accumulated. A swift kill provided some progress, but prolonged suffering… that yielded far greater rewards. It was an uncomfortable truth, but one that couldn't be ignored.

So, I tested it.

Tying one unfortunate man to a wooden stake, I observed the effects of drawn-out suffering. The shadow servant followed my commands without hesitation, flaying him slowly, its shadowy fingers peeling away flesh in ragged strips to expose the glistening red beneath. His screams echoed through the smoldering village, and as I watched the system's notification flicker in my mind, I confirmed it, the points surged. Pain and despair were currency in this world, and the more intricate my cruelty, the richer the rewards.

When simple torment failed to provide further gains, I altered the approach. I forced him to watch as his family was dragged before him, each of them meeting a grisly end at the shadow's unyielding hands. His ragged sobs, the hollow devastation in his eyes as the last ember of hope died within him, it was... effective. The system responded with a gratifying surge of progress.

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I had no personal satisfaction in it. This was simply the path to power, a necessary means to an inevitable end. My actions were dictated by logic, by the rules this world had set before me. If it demanded cruelty, then cruelty it would have.

By the time the sun rose again, the village was little more than ash and rot.

My level had increased slightly, though not enough. It seemed I gained one point for every ten souls slaughtered. Interestingly, kills made by the shadow servant were funneled to me as well, and with each battle, it too grew stronger:

[Proficiency: 1.2%]

And my own points accumulated steadily:

[Current Points: 13]

There was no remorse. No hesitation. Only progress. Village after village fell, each a stepping stone toward my ultimate goal. The weak fell beneath my blade, their screams lost in the roaring infernos I left behind. Week after week, death followed me like a faithful companion.

Looting their meager possessions brought some value, though progress through this method was slow. Still, the observations I made were fascinating. The more innocent and pure a soul, the more their demise contributed to my growth. The crueler and more horrific the act, the greater the reward. This revelation fueled my creativity.

New skills emerged from my dark endeavors:

[Skill Level Increased!][Slaughterer (D) → Slaughterer (C)]

[Skill Acquired!][Torture (F)][Type: Active][Details: Increases pain inflicted by 10%]

[Skill Level Increased][Torture (F) → Torture (D)][Type: Active][Details: Increases pain inflicted by 50%]

[Current Points: 78]

[Skill Acquired!][Merciless (Unique)][Type: Passive][Details: Equal to all, spares no one. Increases bloodlust. Increases Str and Agi by 10 each.]

As we approached another village, something was different. Amongst the frightened peasants stood an old knight clad in dented, battle-worn armor. His eyes were sharp, filled with the wisdom of countless battles. He raised his rusted sword, his stance firm. The shadow servant lunged first, feral and relentless, but the knight countered with terrifying precision. The clash was brutal, a dance of primitive savagery against seasoned skill.

Blows rained down, the knight parrying and striking back with calculated efficiency. My servant's raw power faltered against his experience, and with a decisive strike, he split the shadow's chest, dissipating it into nothingness. But the effort took its toll, his breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs trembling with age. Seizing the moment, I struck, driving my blade deep into his weakened body. His knees buckled, his eyes dimming as he fell.

"Even the strong fall to time," I muttered, watching the light fade from his eyes.

As I sit atop the smoldering ruins of my latest conquest, a sick sense of satisfaction wells up within me. Beneath my feet lies the charred remains of a young girl, her hollow eyes staring into the abyss I call my soul.

A mere insect. Too weak to even protect herself.

Since coming to this world, I've brought nothing but pain and despair, and I will continue to do so until I stand atop this world, having crushed both sins and virtues alike beneath my heel. My gaze drifts to the ever-ticking clock, marking the countdown to whatever comes next.

[Adjustment Period: 18 Days 01:54:31...]

Time remains, and I will use it well.

Current Skill Window:

[Level: 32 (14,3%)]

[Title: True Villain ]

[Skills: True Villain (Zenith), Devil’s Eye (God), Plot Armor (Unique), Hero’s Growth (Unique), Noble Sacrifice (Unique), Merciless (Unique) Swordsmanship (B), Slaughterer (C), Shadow Servant (C), Torture (D), Pain Tolerance (D), Cold-Headed (D), Dark Dominion (D), Seed of Discord (D), Tracking (D), Unyielding Wrath (E), Despair Aura (F)]

[Stats: Str-162, Agi-171, End-133, Int-80, Mag-40, Luck-106]

[Unallocated stat points: 0]

[Status effects: None]